Posted in Buildings, Churches, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged architecture, churches, iglesias, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Templo de San Felipe Neri on October 14, 2012| 5 Comments »
Yesterday, standing on the terrace, playing with the zoom on my new camera. Looking southeast, as the sun was about to disappear behind the sierras to the west.
Templo de San Felipe Neri, a couple of blocks from Casita Colibrí.
Templo de San Francisco, about twelve blocks away. Going to keep working on it, but liking my little Lumix!
h/t Chris
Posted in Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged culture, Danza de los diablos, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, traditional dances on October 10, 2012| 1 Comment »
Today, in my mind, I was working on a different blog post. And then, walking home from my Spanish lesson, I came across these guys — and whips were cracking!
Hmmm… they weren’t there an hour (plus) before. As I’ve said before, you just never know what you may find when you round a corner.
Darn, before I had a chance to ask what was going on, the sky opened and everyone ran for cover — including me!
However, I’m thinking somewhere in the city, a Danza de los Diablos is happening!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged convite, Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario, flor inmortal, La Santísima Virgen del Rosario, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Teotitlán del Valle, travel, Virgin of the Rosary on October 8, 2012| 3 Comments »
It’s that time of year, again. Daylight doesn’t last quite as long, the large red-orange blossoms of the African tulip trees have mostly fallen (onto my terrace!), and the hummingbirds have mostly departed, leaving the airspace to the dragonflies and butterflies.
However, the season of yellow marigolds (cempazuchitl) and the yellows, oranges, and purples of flor inmortal (immortal flower) has begun and that means Días de los Muertos and Noche de Rabanos can’t be far behind.
In the meantime, during the past week, Teotitlán del Valle celebrated La Santísima Virgen del Rosario and early Friday evening, the unmarried girls and women gathered with their canastas for the traditional convite (holy procession).
And, given the season, flor inmortal played a prominent role in the decorations of many of the canastas.
And, as always, I’m amazed and captivated by the girls and women who, with arms raised, balance these sizable baskets on their head, as they navigate the sacred route along the cobbled (and, this day, rain-slicked) streets of Teotitlán del Valle — for almost an hour!
It’s a scene that I never tire of — of course, I’m not carrying a canasta on my head!
More photos and commentary over at Oaxaca-The Year After.
Posted in Archaeology, Environment, Gardens, Parks & Plazas, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged archaelogical site, archaeological zone, archaeology, flowers, Mexico, Monte Albán, nature, Oaxaca, photography, photos, plants, popular travel destinations, wildflowers on October 6, 2012| 2 Comments »
Fifteen hundred years may have passed since Monte Albán was in full bloom as the center of Zapotec civilization. However, the flowering continues…
Monte Albán on an early October morning.
Posted in Archaeology, Buildings, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged archaelogical site, archaeological zone, archaeology, Mexico, Monte Albán, Oaxaca, photography, photos, popular travel destinations on October 4, 2012| 3 Comments »
Posted in Environment, Gardens, Parks & Plazas, Science & Nature, Weather, tagged Alameda, Indian Laurel tree, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, trees, zócalo on October 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Instead of the coming of age novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, we have the real life drama of a tree falls in Oaxaca. Heading down to the mercado this morning, I was brought up short by this heartbreaking sight.
According to reports, there were many present to hear and see one of the grand 130+ year old Indian laurels topple during a storm on Saturday night. And, worst of all, ten people were injured, two seriously. Trees in the city, including Indian laurels in the Zócalo, have been plagued by adversity. A laurel in the Zócalo fell a few years ago, damaging a nearby building, and most recently in May 2011, I wrote about a laurel on the Alameda that toppled. Resurrection was attempted and guy-wires remain to this day holding it upright. I guess the experts decided this latest one was beyond rescue.
Controversy reigns, as many assert that these trees should be able to withstand the rain and less-than gale force winds. Thus speculation over the cause runs rampant. Root rot appears to be the immediate culprit but the big question is, why?
And, as Chris sadly noted a couple of months ago, regarding the diseased flamboyant trees in front of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, Any tree is hard to replace.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, thomas wolfe on October 1, 2012| 2 Comments »
All things on earth point home in old October; sailors to sea, travellers to walls and fences… — Thomas Wolfe.
It’s good to be back in Oaxaca.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Markets, Travel & Tourism, tagged automobilies, California, cars, farmers' market, Linda Ellerbee quote, markets, mercados, Mexico, Mill Valley, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Porche, similarities, vegetables, VW bug, wall art, Zio Ziegler on September 28, 2012| 12 Comments »
I’m back in Oaxaca… arrived last night after a brief trip to El Norte. However, over the last three years, culture shock (on both sides of the border) has subsided and I am struck and heartened that despite our differences, humans share so much more… especially the compulsion to make even the most common and utilitarian, beautiful.
Artist, Zio Ziegler added a little pizzazz to a car in Mill Valley… (Yes, I know, a Porche!)
Car in Oaxaca… (Ahhh, a VW bug!)
Wall in Mill Valley (also by Zio Ziegler)…
Wall in Oaxaca…
Veggies in Mill Valley…
Veggies in Oaxaca…
From one of my favorite journalists, Linda Ellerbee: “People are pretty much alike. It’s only that our differences are more susceptible to definition than our similarities.”
Posted in Creativity, Serendipity, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, art car, California, found objects, Marin County, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Sausalito on September 26, 2012| 3 Comments »
Lost or discarded?
Artist found and created in Sausalito, Ca. You better believe it!
And please, don’t “liberate” any of the found objects, in other words… stop stealing!!!
La lucha continúa. Paz y amor a todos.
Posted in Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged beaches, California, foggy day, Marin County, Mexico, Oaxaca, Pacific Ocean, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, Puerto Escondido, San Francisco Bay Area, Stinson Beach on September 24, 2012| 1 Comment »
I grew up and lived most of my life twenty minutes from the Pacific Ocean. I learned to drive on the road up over Mt. Tamalpais out to Stinson, Muir, and Bolinas beaches. Needless to say, countless trips followed and continue! So, yesterday I made my regular “Bay Area visit” pilgrimage to the beach. Even on a foggy day, the sights, sounds, and smells of Stinson Beach are magical…
Alas, it’s 6 hours by car up and over the long and winding roads of the Sierra Madre del Sur to reach Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca’s closest Pacific Ocean beach. The alternatives: 10+ hours by bus (by way of Salina Cruz) or a short but costly flight. Still waiting for the long-promised highway that is supposed to cut auto travel time to two hours!!!
Posted in Buildings, Gardens, tagged buildings, cactus, Internet, Internet cafe, Inter_NetJoly, Mexico, Oaxaca, photography, photos on September 20, 2012| 2 Comments »
Posted in Buildings, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged building renovation, Casa Oaxaca, Claude Monet quotation, Galeria Quetzalli, Mexico, Oaxaca, paint swatches, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, workers on September 17, 2012| 2 Comments »
Remember Facelift in progress???
Casa Oaxaca and Galeria Quetzalli’s renovation project continues. Patching and plastering have been completed.
Primer and paint swatches have been applied. Weeks have gone by…
Choosing a color is hard! What do you think?
Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment. —Claude Monet
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Food, History, Holidays, Restaurants, Travel & Tourism, tagged Chiles en Nogada, El Grito, food, La Popular, Mexican Independence, Mexican War of Independence, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, restaurants on September 13, 2012| 9 Comments »
El Grito not only heralds green, white, and red decorations, clothing, and Mexican flags. It is also the season to savor the multi-layered, delicate flavors of Chiles en Nogada and delight in its colorful, patriotic presentation. Legend has it, the dish was created in 1821 by nuns in Puebla to honor a visit by Mexican General Augustín de Iturbide, that pretty much signaled the end of the eleven-year long Mexican War of Independence.
There are probably as many recipes for Chiles en Nogada as there are chefs and abuelas, but the basics include green poblano chiles stuffed with a picadillo of meats, fruits, nuts, herbs and spices; served with a creamy white cheese and walnut sauce; and topped with a garnish of red pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and the green of chopped parsley.
This was my lunch of Chiles en Nogada today at La Popular, a delightful new restaurant in Oaxaca (Garcia Vigil 519, Centro). Yummm….
(ps) Chris just posted this video of Lina Fernandez making Chiles en Nogada. She makes it look almost doable!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged El Grito, Mexican Independence, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, store displays, window display on September 13, 2012| 2 Comments »
Revolutionaries behind bars.
Couldn’t resist just one more El Grito window display!
Posted in Celebrations, Culture, History, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged celebrations, El Grito, Escuela Primaria Urbana, graffiti, Grito de Dolores, holidays, Mexican Independence Day, Mexico, newsstands, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, store displays, Teotitlán del Valle, window displays on September 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Where else have you seen El Grito decorations?
Schools, of course! This one in Teotitlán del Valle.
And, how about newsstands? You can’t miss the green, white, and red — it’s everywhere!
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 